A man is in jail after attempting to run over a police officer during a hit-and-run investigation in Texas earlier this month.
The incident occurred on Saturday, October 8th at the Circle G Truck Stop in Gonzales, Texas.
The Gonzales Inquirer reports that officers initially responded to the truck stop to investigate a hit-and-run incident. The victim in the hit-and-run told Sgt. Martinez that a man had struck his vehicle and then ran off on foot. As Sgt. Martinez spoke with the victim, a semi truck began heading toward him at a high rate of speed.
The semi truck then struck the victim’s vehicle as Sgt. Martinez and the victim managed to scramble out of the truck’s way, avoiding serious injury. The force of the impact between vehicles sent the victim’s vehicle across a roadway and into a pasture on the opposite side of the road. The suspect then fled the scene northbound on US Highway 183.
The semi truck then entered the opposite lane of traffic and struck several vehicles before turning onto Saint Joseph Street and coming to a stop. The driver, later identified as 34-year-old Johnny Ray Longoria Jr., then exited the semi truck and ran into the 400 block of Village Drive.
Officers eventually caught Longoria on foot and placed him under arrest. Investigation into the incident revealed that Longoria had been the one who struck the victim’s vehicle the first time before stealing the semi truck and using it to strike the vehicle a second time.
Longoria was initially charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, and evading arrest or detention with a motor vehicle, but was later charged with even more serious crimes.
“Upon further investigation, (viewing in car videos, obtaining witness and victim statements), Johnny Ray Longoria has been charged with two counts of attempted capital murder of a peace officer or Fireman (first-degree felony) and five counts of aggravated assault with deadly weapon (second-degree felony),” GPD Lt. Jason Montoya said. “These charges are in addition to the aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, unauthorized use of motor vehicle, and evading arrest or detention with a motor vehicle.”
Longoria is currently in jail on $890,000 bond. No one was seriously hurt in the incident.